Intermediate shafts (I-shafts) are designed to be a component of torque transfer from a steering column to a steering gear. They may also allow axial movement while maintaining this ability to transfer torque. I-shafts that utilize ball bearings that roll between a metal solid shaft and a metal tubular shaft are commonly referred to as rolling element I-shafts.
Some known rolling element I-shafts include a one piece ball bearing retention sleeve which slides onto the shaft axially into ball grooves. To allow for this process, secondary machining on the male shaft and separate components are required to create a mechanical retention feature for the retention sleeve. In addition, ball grooves must extend to the end of the shaft to facilitate assembly of the retention sleeve to the shaft. These design additions add cost and complexity. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an I-shaft without the need for extra processing and retention features on the male shaft.